Home Office Perm Sec Rutnam details ESMCP review thinking

The Home Office has explained its thinking behind continuing with the Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme (ESMCP) following its recent internal review of the project.

In a letter published to coincide with Home Office permanent secretary Sir Philip Rutnam’s appearance in front of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) today, Sir Philip told PAC chair Meg Hillier that the review had been completed and had looked at a full range of options, from continuing with the programme according to the original plan, cancelling it, or identifying a new way forward.

The letter said, “The review concluded that ESMCP remains the right strategic approach to replacing Airwave and the programme continues to represent good value to money for the taxpayer. The review also concluded there is growing confidence in the technical viability of the solution, particularly given the improved software solution now being deployed. The programme team and governance has also been strengthened. The review concluded however that a new delivery model is needed to ensure that the emergency services benefit from the new network as soon as possible.”

He continued, “As you know, the programme plan was previously based on completing the entire solution before users started transition. The review has concluded, however, that a better approach would be to deliver the Emergency Services Network (ESN) through the incremental release of products. This will allow our police officers, fire and rescue crews, paramedics and other users to choose the individual communications tools they want and need, and decide when they want them, rather than having to wait until every element of the new network is built.

“The programme team has already begun to put the review’s recommendations into practice.”

He pointed to the Home Office signing Heads of Terms with Motorola Solutions International (MSI) and EE, which he said, “represent a significant milestone in the ESMCP programme reset.”

He added, “The first ESN products are due to appear around the turn of the year, which will allow the emergency services to start testing and using them. The first of those – a network coverage testing product which we are calling ‘ESN Assure’ – will be delivered to the emergency services by the end of 2018. We expect the first versions of critical voice and data products to be available from early 2019 with the final version of the product available by Autumn 2020.”

Rutnam said the programme is also proceeding with work to build coverage both in the London Underground, in remote areas (the Extended Area Services project) and with a procurement of an Air to Ground solution.

He indicated that the Home Office has negotiated an extension to the Airwave contract to the end of 2022, three years later than was provided for in the original contract. The Home Office and its suppliers are now looking to sign revised contracts at the end of the year, with similar timescales to work up a revised Full Business Case with a revised programme plan and costs, Sir Philip said.

He concluded, “Clearly the delays in turning off Airwave mean that these costs will continue for longer, increasing costs over the life of the business case. While the cost of the core system provided by MSI and EE have not materially changed, the programme continues to refine the plans and costs for other parts of the solution, including the projects for which the Home Office is directly responsible (e.g. additional coverage, resilience, Air to Ground coverage and coverage in the London Underground).”